The Friend Code
by SarcasticEnigma
Summary: ONE-SHOT! Hayley and Tyler spend Halloween night in bonding over treats, movies, impromptu costume contests, and the basics of the almighty Friend Code. Tayley-brOTP! R&R!


_**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own _The Vampire Diaries _or any of it's characters. So this is a one-shot I wrote for a short story contest on a site I RP - as Hayley! - on but, because I'm just a lameass and forgot the cut off date, I never actually got to enter it! lol Anyway, I hope you guys like it and, please, have a happy (and safe!) Halloween! Read on and enjoy!

_**The Friend Code  
**_

"Hey, Lockwolf, we have a serious 911 on our hands!"

Tyler winced as he turned slowly turned around, jacket in hand. Hayley didn't sound happy and an unhappy Hayley usually meant someone was going to get hurt. Given he was the only one in the house, he was willing to bet it was him. How the hell had she found out so quickly? He had just gotten off the phone with Caroline not even ten minutes ago. She'd asked him what he was doing and he'd told her the truth, that he had made plans for a movie night with Hayley. His girlfriend had been less than pleased, and that was putting it nicely. She'd ranted for a good ten minutes, lectured him, and threatened him many times if he didn't show up, in costume, for the Halloween party. More importantly, he had to show up alone. He'd tried to convince her to let Hayley tag along, not wanting to leave his friend alone, but Caroline wouldn't hear of it. Now, Tyler had known that the two girls didn't get along. After all, vampires and werewolves were natural enemies. Well, they were in the movies he'd seen about them but the _Underworld _series wasn't exactly a great reference choice. But Uncle Mason was a good reference, so was Jules; fangs and fur just didn't mix. Unless you were a hybrid, but that was besides the point. The point was that Hayley was currently charging at him from the kitchen, looking livid.

"What's the problem?" he asked, attempting to sound very nonchalant.

"There is absolutely _no_ popcorn or Carmellos of any kind in your house!" she exclaimed, horrified, and Tyler let out a small sigh of relief. So she didn't know, great. Well, great until he broke the news to her. "How are we supposed to have a movie marathon without the cornerstones of a movie watching experience?" Tyler quirked a brow as she waved her arms around, a bottle of liquor in her hand.

"And scotch, that's part of the traditional movie experience?" he questioned skeptically. Hayley looked at the bottle she'd snagged and slowly lowed her arm, hugging the scotch to her stomach.

"...It can be," she replied quietly, defensive.

"Just go into town and buy whatever you want," he told her with a shrug. As if struck by genius, he grinned and quickly added, "On me!" Tyler put on his coat and grabbed his wallet from the pocket, immediately pulling out some cash and handing it to her. But she didn't take it. Instead, Hayley eyed the offering suspiciously.

"On you?" Tyler nodded, almost frantic, and Hayley set the scotch down on the nearby table with a jack-o-lantern and big bowl of candy. Arms crossed, she looked him in the eye and curiously asked, "Ty, what's going on?"

"Caroline called," he answered. That was all Hayley needed to hear. Her arms dropped to her sides, the concerned look became a disgruntled scowl and she stalked back into the kitchen. Tyler rolled his head around his shoulders, groaning as he chased after her. "I'm sorry, but—"

"You're bailing? Are you _kidding_ me right now?" she snapped. "I can't believe you're _ditching_ me to spend time with your girlfriend – when we already made plans!"

"It just came up!" Which was true but, for all Hayley cared, he could have planned the whole thing out with his precious perfect Caroline. "I said I was sorry. What do you want me to do, write it in blood?" he snapped angrily.

"Nothing so messy, but some actual sincerity wouldn't hurt," she retorted sassily. Hayley ran her hands through her hair and took a deep, calming breath. "Look, I get that you have a life here and I'm kinda crashing in on it, but a rule of life is that you don't bail on previously made tricks with your friend to go have some doggy-style treating with girlfriend!" she lectured. "It's basic friend code."

Tyler quirked a brow at, unamused. "Seriously?"

"Deadly. Friend Code, check your contract," she returned, poking him in the chest. He chuckled and shook his head at her, his previous annoyance fading away. A fact which Hayley noticed, and made her smile. "So what's it gonna be, Lockwood: trick?" she asked, pointing to herself. "Or treat?" she finished, pointing towards the front door, lips pursed. He sighed heavily and told her he'd go get the snacks, causing Hayley to cheer and hug him tightly around his neck."You won't be disappointed, I pinky promise. I have quite the horror selection lined up for us! You might just get so scared, you'll have nightmares and pee yourself," she teased.

"So that's your goal. Evil," he complimented.

"Evil genius," she corrected. Tyler left and returned with a box of popcorn and Carmello bars in ten minutes, along with his own assortment of candy. While he was gone, Hayley had set them up with some drinks – scotch mixed with apple cider – and had the NetFlix up and ready with their first movie. He'd called Caroline and explained the situation while he'd been out, leaving out the fact that Hayley had guilt tripped him into staying in. He didn't want to give his girlfriend more ammunition than she had already to hate the werewolf. Caroline hadn't been happy at all; she'd actually hung up on him and refused to answer her phone when he called. "Oh, don't pout," Hayley told him as they sat on the couch, munching on popcorn and watching the opening credits. "Where would you rather be: with your friend having an _awesome_ horror movie fright fest, or with your girlfriend at some lame party with cheap beer and the same old teen drama that happens at _every _party? Besides, I'm sure Caroline would've made you dress in matching costumes, so I saved you from that as well."

"She wanted to, yeah. How'd you guess?" he asked, somewhat mystified that she'd guessed Caroline's intent.

Hayley scoffed and rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Typical. Let me guess: Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf?" Hayley quirked a brow at him, expectant, while he stared at her wide eyed. She slowly started to grin and he looked away, scowling.

"Shut up," he muttered, but Hayley continued to laugh regardless. Three movies later, both were settled in comfortably and were beginning to feel the warmth of the scotch. Before, they had been quiet and only making snarky commentary occasionally. Now that the alcohol was setting in, they were much louder and had even made a game out of the various trick or treaters. A costume contest, of sorts, in which the pair would take turns passing out candy and then record what costumes had been at the door. Whoever passed out the candy would then decide who the winner was for that round. There had been, at least, a dozen rounds thus far and it didn't seem to be slowing up any time soon. Which was why, sometimes, they would ignore the knocking or the ring of the doorbell. "Oooooh, fresh meat! The babysitter. Aaaaaaand...the phone is ringing!" Tyler called out, shoveling more popcorn in his mouth.

"Spoiler alert: the call is coming from _inside_ _the_ _house,_" Hayley shouted to the TV.

"Which, by the way, means the _killer_ is in the house."

"Ugh, no, no! Don't pick up the phone!" Hayley shouted, disgusted at the predictability. "Get out of the house! Out! OUT!" she demanded the babysitter, waving her arm and gesturing for the character to run for her life. Tyler, however, threw a handful of popcorn at the screen. He was about to pelt the dumb babysitter again when the doorbell rang.

"Trick or treaters," he observed.

"Pause the movie. I'll get it. My turn anyway." Hayley set her drink down and dashed for the door, grabbing the bowl of candy as she went. The standard "trick or treat" was caroled at her by a group of kids, their parents behind them, and she passed out the candy as quickly as possible. After setting the bowl down, catching the jack-o-lantern it knocked before it fell off the table, she ran back into the living room and vaulted over couch.

"What we have this time?" he asked, popping a mini-Milkyway he'd snagged in his mouth. Hayley picked up the note pad they'd been using to keep score of their personal costume contest, eyed focused on the page as she wrote.

"A mummy, a Transformer, two Ninja Turtles, a fairy princess, some zombie queen thing, Batman, the Headless Horseman, and a baby elephant," she listed and circled one of the options before tossing the pad back on the table. "Horseman wins this round."

"Wait, what? No way. Batman wins!" Tyler protested emphatically.

"Not a chance!" she argued. "This Batman was, like, six years old and the costume barely fit him. Totally unbefitting of the Dark Knight title. Besides, I let Batman have the last two rounds. Horseman gets this one." Smirking triumphantly, she stole his next Milkyway and ate it.

"You're just jealous you're not Batman," he sniped. Hayley guffawed and shook her head.

"Please! I'd rather be a mutant like Magneto, then I wouldn't need some fancy science-y cape or gadgets to fly."

Shaking his head, he commented with a smile, "You are _such_ a nerd."

"Right back at 'ya, Lockwolf." The pair shared a laugh as she nudged him with her shoulder. Tyler restarted the movie and the pair sat there a moment in comfortable silence. "Ty? Thanks for staying. I know it's Halloween and you could be out, but it means a lot that you stayed." The hybrid shrugged, somewhat bashful, trying to brush off her compliments. "No, seriously, I don't know if you're aware of this, but you're the only friend I have. And I don't just mean in town, I mean at all."

"No way that's true," he argued.

"No, it is. You forget, I'm a raging bitch." Tyler snorted with laughter, shaking his head at her self-deprecating humor. "No, no, it's true and I own it," she admitted with a proud smile, "but it makes it hard to have lasting relationships." He stared at her a moment, frowning at her forlorn tone but she just shrugged at him. "You're my best friend. You make me feel...normal." It was true. Tyler did make her feel normal. Considering how much of a freak she felt like after her adoptive parents kicked her out, feeling like a normal girl was wonderful. Only Tyler made her feel that way, but he also made her feel special all at the same time. Eve if he didn't realize it.

"Ditto," he replied, nudging her shoulder right back, making her duck her head and smile. "Shit, we're out of cider. I'll refill, you pull up the next movie." Tyler returned a few moments later and passed her, her refilled glass of cider and scotch. Clinking his glass with hers, he told her, "Happy Halloween, Hales."

"Happy Halloween, Lockwolf."


End file.
